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Remembering Ryan Johnson
Clint Helander remembers the life and prolific climbing career of his friend Ryan Johnson, who went missing and is presumed dead along with Marc-Andre Leclerc after the pair climbed a new route on the north face of the Main Mendenhall Tower in Alaska in early March.
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Missing Alpinists Ryan Johnson and Marc-Andre Leclerc Presumed Dead
Climbers Ryan Johnson and Marc-Andre Leclerc, missing in the Mendenhall Towers for about a week, are now presumed dead, according to an Alaska State Troopers dispatch. We mourn the loss of these two beloved people greatly.
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Hundreds attend the Royal Robbins memorial to honor a great climber and caring man
Multitudes gathered in Modesto, California, on March 12, to honor the life of Royal Robbins, who died on March 14, 2017, at age 82 after a long illness. Most climbers are aware of the Robbins’ numerous contributions to climbing but Robbins was much more than just a climber–he was a loving, contributing member of his…
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Ongoing Search for Ryan Johnson and Marc-Andre Leclerc
A summary of current information regarding the search for climbers Ryan Johnson and Marc-Andre Leclerc, overdue from an expedition to the Mendenhall Towers, Alaska
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Local Hero: Lopsang Tshering Sherpa
In this Local Hero story from the latest issue, Alpinist 61, Kapil Bisht interviews Lopsang Tshering Sherpa, who began his storied career as an expedition worker in 1959 as a kitchen helper on the 1959 international women’s Cho Oyu expedition; three years later he was among those bridging the gap for Lionel Terray and the…
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Lowa Approach Pro GTX Lo: A go-everywhere shoe
If Alpinist Digital Editor Derek Franz had to pick just one type of shoe to wear for the rest of his life, there’s no doubt it would be a pair of approach shoes. The Lowa Approach Pro Los have become his first choice to wear everywhere, all the time. Five stars.
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A sweltering, runout adventure on Colombia’s Cerro Pajarito
On February 1, Dave Allfrey, Kieran Brownie and Paul McSorley completed a new route up the unclimbed northwest face of Cerro Pajarito in the Cerros de Mavecure in Guainia, Colombia. El Abrazo de la Serpiente (Embrace of the Serpent; V 5.11c R/X 660m) was established ground up, onsight, over two trips. The rainforest heat was…
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Glimpses of Higher Worlds: Bernadette McDonald’s ‘Art of Freedom’
“‘Art of Freedom,’ is a brilliant work of insight, not only into the life of the great alpinist, but also about the questions that compel us to the mountains in the first place,” writes Alpinist Associate Editor Paula Wright in her feature about Bernadette McDonald’s award-winning biography, “Art of Freedom: The Life and Climbs of…
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Totality from a Mountaintop
In this letter to the editor from Alpinist 60, Christopher Elliott describes the solar eclipse that occurred on August 21, 2017, and the fleeting “moment of totality” that he and his fellow observers experienced from the top of a mountain.
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Climbing legend Jim ‘the Bird’ Bridwell dies at age 73
Jim Bridwell died this morning, February 16, in Palm Springs, California, after months of suffering from illness. He was 73. Nicknamed “the Bird,” Bridwell has been an icon of American climbing for decades. He arrived in Yosemite as a wide-eyed 17-year-old and learned from the foremost climbers of the day, including Royal Robbins, Layton Kor…
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2018 Grit and Rock First Ascent Award recipients announced
Grit and Rock recently announced the recipients of its 2018 First Ascent Award, a grant that is dedicated to promoting mountain exploration and first ascents by women. The recipients this year, in alphabetical order, are Katie Bono, Cecilia Buil, Whitney Clark, Ixchel Foord, Ilana Jesse, Josie McKee, Nina Neverov, Caro North, Alena Panova and Anna…
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MSR Advance Pro 2 Ultralight: a single-wall, four-season tent that is simple and convenient
Mallorie Estenson, an alpine guide and climber based in the Pacific Northwest, has been using the MSR Advance Pro 2 Ultralight–a single-wall, four-season tent–on some ski-mountaineering trips in Washington this winter. The tent is intended to be simple and compact so that it can fit onto narrow ledges found on the side of a mountain.…
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The Blue Ice Yeti 50L Pack: Small innovations that make an impact
Blue Ice is a small, relatively new company that started in a garage in Europe and now has a presence in North America. IFMGA/AMGA guide Mike Lewis has been using the Blue Ice Yeti 50L backpack, and aside from a few details that didn’t comply with his exact personal preferences, he liked it well enough…
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Elisabeth Revol rescued and Tomek Mackiewicz presumed dead on Nanga Parbat
Elisabeth Revol of France has been rescued and Tomek Mackiewicz of Poland is presumed dead on Nanga Parbat (8126m) in Pakistan after completing the second winter ascent of the peak. A GoFundMe campaign has been started to help support Mackiewicz’s wife and three kids. Revol is recovering from frostbite.
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Elizabeth Hawley Remembered
Bernadette McDonald recounts the life of Elizabeth Hawley, who died January 26, 2018. Hawley was a prolific and esteemed journalist who lived in Kathmandu, Nepal, and documented Himalayan mountaineering from 1959 until 2015. McDonald, who authored a biography about Hawley, describes the 94-year-old as “a feminist before her time, a pillar of society in Kathmandu,…
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Auden in the Brooks Range
In 1969, a young David Roberts buzzes the doorbell at the apartment of W. H. Auden, his literary hero, in hopes of inspiring the aging poet to journey with him to Alaska’s Brooks Range.
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American Alpine Club announces recipients for Cutting Edge Grants
The American Alpine Club recently announced that Whitney Clark, Ryan Johnson, Kurt Ross and Alan Rousseau will receive Cutting Edge Grants this year, totaling $20,000. The grants will support expeditions to Alaska, India and Pakistan.
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Mountain Equipment Citadel Mitt: A bastion of warmth in a light package
Alaskan alpinist Clint Helander finds the Mountain Equipment Citadel Mitt to be a lightweight and versatile option for climbs that require cutting down on bulk and extra grams. Five stars.
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Application period opens for inaugural Kyle Dempster Solo Adventure Award
Today marks the official opening of the application period for the inaugural Kyle Dempster Solo Adventure Award. Applications are due by March 15 for trips taking place between April 1, 2018-March 31, 2019. The winner(s) will be announced on March 27, Kyle’s birthday.
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The Force of the Soul: Hugues Beauzile
In this feature from Alpinist 60, James Edward Mills recounts the story of Hugues Beauzile, the son of a Haitian immigrant who became one of the most promising young alpinists in France before his death on the South Face of Aconcagua 1995.
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Good conditions result in new winter ascents of Slesse’s Navigator Wall and satellite peaks
The first few days of January provided good conditions for Marc-Andre Leclerc and Tom Livingstone to make the first winter ascent of Mt. Slesse’s Navigator Wall, a goal that Leclerc has had in mind for a while. Meanwhile, Brette Harrington and Kieran Brownie did a link-up of two satellite peaks nearby, completing some likely first…
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American Alpine Club announces 2018 Climbing Awards, Annual Benefit Dinner
The American Alpine Club has announced the recipients of its 2018 Climbing Awards, given annually to distinguish individuals for their service, leadership and accomplishments. This year’s honorees include John Roskelley, Alex Honnold, Ellen Lapham, Margo Hayes and Sally Jewell, who will be presented with their awards at the AAC’s Annual Benefit Dinner on February 24…
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Tino Villanueva and Alan Rousseau establish The T&A Show on Rungofarka
From September 30 to October 4, Tino Villanueva and Alan Rousseau completed a long and technical new route on the north ridge of Rungofarka (6495m), a peak in the Zanskar Range that the Indian Mountaineering Foundation recently opened for permits. They named the route with a play on their names, The T&A Show (VI M6…
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